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By Wade Keller, Torch editor

KELLER'S ECW REPORT
JULY 22, 2008
PHILADELPHIA, PA. - AIRED ON SCI-FI

[Q1]

-Mike Adamle and Tazz introduced the show as the camera panned the crowd. Adamle hyped the main event and seemed to know how to pronounce the names of all four - Matt Hardy, The Miz, Finlay, and John Morrison.

-Teddy Long stood mid-ring with a new ECW Title belt. It's dark gray leather with all silver (as opposed to gold) plates. The good part is the belt stands out as looking different than other title belts in WWE. The bad part is belts are switched too often and every time the belt is switched out, a little piece of its history is lost. If the tag team championship belts were the same that the British Bulldogs, Hart Foundation, Demolition, and even Steve Austin & Shawn Michaels held, the belts would mean more when wrapped around the waists of up-and-coming stars. It's why the replica version of the World Hvt. Title belt with loose roots to the WCW/NWA World Title belt held by Ric Flair in the '90s feels more special and adds prestige to C.M. Punk just by wearing it.

Tony Atlas and Mark Henry walked out. Henry admired the new belt and flipped it over his shoulder. Atlas said all future challengers will be swept under the rug like Tommy Dreamer. He said those who believe in Henry will be rewarded, as did Colin Delaney. Adamle and Tazz talked about Delaney turning on Dreamer. Tazz said he's curious what his motivation was. Adamle said Colin ruined Dreamer's chance to become ECW Champion. Delaney said Dreamer was his friend and mentor, "but what did I get out of it? I got my butt kicked night in and night out." He said he fulfilled his dream to become a WWE Superstar, but he turned into a laughing stock. He said at the Bash he saw Atlas and Henry and compared them to a "washed up loser" like Dreamer who can't do anything for himself, so what could he do for him, he asked. He said Dreamer is the past and Henry and Atlas are the future. He said everyone in the crowd would do the same thing. He said he'd do whatever they wanted, even carry their bags.

Long interrupted and said Dreamer isn't the past, he's the present, because he's booking him against Dreamer tonight. Atlas said he wanted to talk about. Long said no time for that, as the match is beginning now. Adamle said, "Tommy Dreamer is so hot, you could fry an egg on his forehead." He said Adamle looks petrified. Atlas and Henry wished Delaney luck. Adamle said they're "dropping Delaney like a bad habit." Oh, the Adamle cliche metaphors never get old, not like day old bread at least.

[Commercial Break]

1 -- TOMMY DREAMER vs. COLIN DELANEY

Tazz said Dreamer isn't just disappointed in Delaney, he's livid for taking away his opportunity to become ECW Champion again. Dreamer slapped Delaney. Delaney tried to flee, but Dreamer met him quickly lapping the ring. After returning to the ring, Delaney took control briefly. Dreamer took him down with two hard clotheslines. Then he hung him upside down in the corner then bashed into him with a charging low dropkick. Dreamer gave Delaney a pump handle salto suplex, then stood over him while huffing and puffing in anger. Then to a surge of cheers he gave Delaney his signature DDT for the win. Adamle said: "Well that old saying, too, Tazz, you live by the sword, eventually you perish by it." It didn't really have anything to do with anything.

WINNER: Dreamer in 3:00.

[Q2]

-Backstage Miz and John Morrison complained to each other about how they lost the tag titles - since they didn't actually get pinned. "Since nobody could beat us!" exclaimed Morrison. Morrison said he thinks Miz will win the four-way match. Miz told Morrison not to sell himself short. They were very gracious to one another, which portends them not being quite so gracious and loyal in the actual match.

[Commercial Break]

-Jenny McCarthy asked fans to join her for fighting autism on Aug. 2's Saturday Night's Main Event. WWE played the "we're good corporate citizens" background piano music.

-Bam Neely and Chavo Guerrero joined Adamle and Tazz at ringside. On the handshake with Adamle and Bam, Tazz said the line of the night to Bam: "Don't break his hand. Break his jaw; help us."

2 -- EVAN BOURNE vs. JAMES CURTIS

Chavo said he might have taken Bourne a little lightly, but it won't happen again because he learns from his mistakes. It good that they're giving Chavo a chance to address that loss to Bourne and "get his heat back" with some heel commentary. Curtis controlled early with a head twist. Bourne came back and hit some kicks including a high roundhouse kick and a jump reverse sidekick leading to a two count. He hit Curtis with a shooting star press for the win. Afterward, Chavo and Neely chased after Bourne. He slipped out of the ring quickly.

WINNER: Bourne in 4:00.

-Finlay discussed strategy with Hornswoggle backstage. Finlay said, "Who needs luck when you have a shillelagh." Hornswoggle laughed uproariously.

[Commercial Break]

[Q3]

-Did You Know? In the sport DVD category, WWE outsells MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, college spots, and NASCAR.

-A Smackdown recap aired.

-Backstage, Tiffany told Ricky Ortiz DaBone that she graduates from New Orleans with a degree in marketing. She said she met Long there and learned so much about marketing from him. Ortiz said he used to party in New Orleans with John Elway, an old teammates. Long walked in and told Ortiz that his hair used to be just like his back in 1977. He talked to Long about some ideas for t-shirts, action figures, and catch phrases. Long interrupted and told him that he's only been around for a few weeks, so he needs to prove himself first. Ortiz bragged that he's undefeated in his one match. Long said they'd put his "winning streak" to a test next week. Tiffany and Long shared a laugh about Long's old haircut.

-Adamle and Tazz laughed. Tazz asked if Adamle wore a faceguard back in his football days in the '70s.

-A short video aired on Mike Knox.

-Matt Hardy addressed the camera from backstage. He talked about his main event fatal four-way match to earn an ECW Title match at Summerslam. He said the last few days he's been down after losing the U.S. Title last Sunday. He said he believes things happen for a reason, and when one door closes, another can open, so he wants that ECW Title shot at Summerslam.

[Commercial Break]

[Q4]

3 -- THE MIZ vs. JOHN MORRISON vs. FINLAY (w/Hornswoggle) vs. MATT HARDY - Winners Earns ECW Title shot at Summerslam

Miz went for a quick schoolboy on partner Morrison, but Hardy and Finlay broke up the pin and tossed both heels out of the ring. A minute into Finlay and Hardy fighting, Morrison yanked Hardy out of the ring, then threw him into the ring and stomped on him. Finlay, meanwhile, worked over Miz for several minutes. They cut to a break at 4:00.

[Commercial Break]

More of the same after the break, but with Finlay against Morrison and Hardy against Miz. Finlay went after Morrison for going after Hornswoggle; they battled into the crowd briefly. Morrison threw a beverage at Finlay, which splashed onto the camera lens. Adamle provided the following insight: "Someone's going to have to go back to the concession stand to refill that cup." By 14:00 the heels took control. Miz catapulted Finlay into Morrison's elbow at ringside, and then Morrison leaped off of the security wall and elbow dropped a vulnerable Finlay. Hardy recovered during that double-teaming of Finlay and went to work on Miz and Morrison. They soon took Hardy down, though, due to the two-on-one advantage. Morrison told Miz to check on Finlay, then instead of DDT'ing Hardy, he went for a small package behind Miz's back. Unlike every referee in history, Miz heard the loud noises behind his back and turned around in time. Morrison tried to tell Miz some story about Hardy causing the change of plans. Miz wasn't buying it. As they argued, Hardy got up and shoved Morrison into Miz, then schoolboyed Morrison for a near fall. Miz surprised Hardy with a clothesline. Hardy avoided a charging Miz, then went for a Twist of Fate on Morrison. Morrison escaped and then went for a springboard round kick on Hardy. Hardy ducked and the kick hit Miz. Hardy gave Miz the Side Effect, the move that almost always gets a two count and nothing more, and that was again the case. Finlay entered the ring for the first time in several minutes and hit the Celtic Cross for a near fall. Morrison broke up the pin. Finlay went after Morrison and Miz with alternating clotheslines. Then he nailed a second rope dropkick on Morrison for a two count. Miz broke up the pin. Hardy recovered and gave a running clothesline and bulldog combo on the heels. Finlay went after Hardy for another near fall. The pace was breathtaking for the last few minutes. Morrison gave Finlay a running knee, but Hardy threw Morrison out of the ring and went for a cover on Morrison. Miz returned to break it up. As he worked over Hardy, Hornswoggle jumped onto the ring apron. Finlay KO'd Miz with his shillelagh. Morrison enzuigiri'd Finlay, then springbaorded at Hardy, but Hardy kicked him and hit the Twist of Fate for the win. As Hardy celebrated, Mark Henry stepped out onto the stage with Tony Atlas and stared down Hardy.

WINNER: Hardy in 18:00 to earn the ECW Title shot.

STAR RATING: ***3/4 -- Phenomenal final few minutes of four-way action.

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